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-T.J.THORP. FENCE WIRE TIGHTE-NING IMPLEMENT.

No. 464,207. Patented Dec. 1, 1891 F H MINNIE;

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(No Model.) '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .T.'J. THORP. FENCE WIRE TIGHTENING IMPLEMENT.

No.464,20'7. 'Pate nt'edDecQl, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TIIOMAs J. THORP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERIOAN STEELPOLE AND POST OOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FENCE-WlRE-TIGHTENING IMPLEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,207, dated December 1, 1891.

Application filed February 25, 1891 Serial No. 382,765- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAs J'. THORP, a citizen of the-United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinols, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fenoe-Vire-Tightening Impletnents, of which the following is a specificaion. The objectof my invention is to provide lmproved means for facilitating the operation of tightening in the sense of pulling taut the wire in the erection of fences formed by stringing separate lengths of wire, plain or barbed, from post to post.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in the nature of a diagram, represent- Ing a wire fence in process of erection with my improved tightening implement for the wires operatively applied. Fig. 2 is a broken view in elevation, enlarged, over the scale observed in Fig. 1, and showing the uppermost of the several similar combined clamping and tightening tools with which myimproved implement is provided, as represented in the preceding figure. Figs. 3 and 4: are sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines 3 and 4: of Fig. 2 and viewed as indicated by the arrows Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively broken vlews 1n perspective of details forming cooperating parts of a clamp.

Broadly considered, my improvement oom-.

prises a peculiarly-constructed combined wire clamping and tightening tool, of which any desired number (thus one or more) may be provided on a suitable supporting frame adapted to be adjusted against a post of a wire fence with the clamping portion of each tool in position to receive and hold a wire to be pulled and held taut by the tightening attachment while the, wire or wires are being strung to the next adjacent post.

A is a frame, the preferred, though not necessarily the only suitable, form of which is that presented in Fig. 1, of a triangle or substantially artriangle vith its straight side 7" I supported to extend in upright position adjacent to a fence-post B from the side 1", form- 'ing the base, the oblique side 0' affording a brace between the brace r and upper end of the side 0" shown to be connected with the upper end of the brace by a short horizontal bar r At the outer end of the base r of the frame A, I provide a vertical eye q to admit a stake q, passed through it into the ground to stay the frame at its lower end, while the frame may be stayed toward its upper end by a stud 19', depending from an arm 19, extending horizontally from near the upper end of the frame, the stud being adapted to be inserted into the top or finial 0 of the post. If desired, to adapt the devicefor such manner of fastening to posts of different heights thearm 19 may be vertically adjustable on the side a of the supporting-frame A. Further- -1nore, arms n may extend horizontally outward from near the upper and lower ends of the side 0 of the supporting-frame, being provided at their extremities with concave bear-,

ings n to conform to the post against which they bear the better to brace the frame.

C is a combined Wire clamping tool and tightening attachment, and following isthe description of the details involved in its construction. A bar or is supported on edge in a suitable guide on the bar r, or, as represented, between two parallel strips forming the said bar, to extend and be longitudinally reciprocated transversely thereof. The support shown in Fig. 2 for the bar m there represented is an arm n at its portion embraced between the two parallel strips forming the side 0" of the frame A. The lowermost of the arms it may serve the same purpose for the bar on of another device 0, and each interme- Toward m may be moved longitudinally to protrude 5 beyond the side 1" of the frame A toward the post B, while by turning the handle in the contrary direction the bar m will be moved in the opposite direction, the extent of its movement being limited by a fixed stud 7t,

IOO

passing through a slot h, formed in the bar. At the opposite end of the bar m or end opposite that provided with the teeth 70 it sup- 4 ports rigidly a transversely-extending bed 9, having toward one end, at opposite sides of its longitudinal center, two openings g, elongated lengthwise of the bed. On the upper side, at opposite edges of the bed 9, over the bar m, are bearings g between which is pivotally supported a bifurcated jaw f near its gripping end f, serrated along its under side Where the two parallel prongs coincide with.

. the handle portion of the jaw f. At the base of its bifurcated end 6' the lever e is provided with rigid earns 6 to bear, as and for a purpose hereinafter described, against the under edge of the parallel bars forming the handle portion of the jawf. Each of the devices 0 involves the construction of the one thus described. Hence the foregoing description of the one explains each.

The devices 0 are secured to the frame A on the bar 1" thereof at intervals corresponding with those at which the lines of wire 10 are to be strung from a post B to the post B; or the devices C may be adjustable on the bar 1 to adapt the same implement to be used with the wires strung at varying vertical intervals on the posts on different fences. As represented in Fig.1, the wires w (shown as barbed) have been fastened at desired vertical intervals on a post B, and have thence been strung upon the next adjacent post B, at which they are being pulled taut and held by my improved implement preparatory to securing them to the post B. Each wire is passed transversely over the slotted end of the bed 9 of the respective device 0 and un der the gripping end of the jawf. Then by raising the lever e the cams e raise the jaw at its handle end and thus clamp its gripping end against the wire, the teeth of the jaw bending or kinking the wire slightly into the openings g the better to hold it. The handle of the pinion i is then pulled downward, entailing an advance longitudinal movement of the sliding bar m, which obviously effects stretching or pulling taut the line of wire from the point to where it is held by the jaw. When the Wires While thus held have been fastened to the postB, they are led to a succeeding post, to which my improved implement may be removed to perform the function described, after separating it from the wires on which it has been caused to operate by turn ing downward the handles a to releasethe jaws f, when the bars m shoul'd also be retracted, thus preparing the implement for the next operation; 0 if it be desired to allow th'eimplement to remain in its wire-tightening condition until the tightening of the wires at the next succeeding post has been performed another of the implements may be used for the last-na med purpose, thus causing the employment of two for each job.

\Vhile I have shown and described the form and construction of my improved devices as they appear to me to be best adapted for the purpose stated, details thereof may be variously modified without thereby entailing departure from the spirit of my invention. Hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the exact details set forth.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fence-wire-tightening implement, a combined wire clamping and stretching tool comprising, in combination, alongitudinallyreciprocable bar supported on the frame of the implement and provided with means for reciprocating it, a jaw pivotally supported on the bar to extend transversely thereof, and a cam-lever f ulcrumed on the bar to engage and actuate and release the pivotal jaw, substan tially as described.

2. In afence-wire-tightening implement, the combination, with a suitable frame A, of a desired number of combined wire clamping and stretching tools supported on the frame, and each comprising a longitudinally-reciprocable rack-bar m, having an actuating-pinion t', a clamp having a pivotal jaw f, supported to extend transversely of the rack-bar, and a cam-lever e to actuate the jaw, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fence-wire-tighteningimplement, the

combination, with a suitable frame A, of a de- 4. A fence-wire-tightening implement comprising, in combination, a frame A, of general triangular form,adapted to be fastened down at its base and provided near its upper end with an arm p, carrying a stud p to engage the upperend of a fence-post and with bracing-arms at n, and a desired number of combined wire clamping and stretching tools 0,

supported on the barr of the frame, and each.

comprising a longitudinally -reciprocable rack-bar on, having a limited extent of horizontal movement, an actuating-pinion Z, en-

gaging the rack-bar, and a clamp comprising the jaw and provided with cams e on oppoa bed g, extending transversely to the racksite sides to engage the jaw, substantially as bar at its forward end and provided with set forth,

openings g, a jaw f, pivoted to the bed and THOMAS J. THORP. having teeth at its gripping end coinciding In presence of with the openings g, and a lever 9, extending J. XV. DYRENFORTH,

at its handle portion through the rear end of M. J. FROST. 

